Optical elements can be employed to convey human-discernible information to users. For example, discrete light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on consumer electronic devices and other types of electronic devices can provide status information to users, such as whether the devices are on, and in what modes they are operating. As another example, flat-panel televisions and displays that include panels of display elements, such as LEDs, organic LEDs (OLEDs), and liquid crystal display (LCD) elements, among others, can appropriately control those elements in unison to display images, such as video, to users.